Sharks get hammered

AT the final session of the CITES talks, the meeting withdrew protection for the porbeagle shark, reversing the only decision made at the 13-day meeting to protect a high-value marine species. It denied Appendix II status to the cold-water porbeagle, fished mainly for its meat.

Appendix II requires countries to monitor and report all exports, and to demonstrate that fishing is carried out in a sustainable manner. Other proposals to oversee cross-border commerce for three other sharks – scalloped hammerhead, oceanic white tip and spiny dogfish – were earlier shot down.